(June 13, 2025) – The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)’s Khlong Sam Wa District Office has joined forces with several agencies in connection with a cable theft case in the district.
BMA spokesman Aekvarunyoo Amrapala said that a suspect, identified only as Kitti (surname withheld), had been arrested for allegedly stealing electrical cables from private homes in Soi Pracharuamjai 19, Khlong Sam Wa district.
Kitti reportedly confessed to selling 2.2 kilogrammes of copper wire to a scrap dealer in the same district on June 12.
On Friday (June 13), officials from the Khlong Sam Wa District Office and Min Buri Metropolitan Police Station inspected the scrap shop in question. Police seized the stolen materials and have charged Kitti with nighttime theft, said Aekvarunyoo.
Meanwhile, the district office issued public health compliance recommendations under the Public Health Act BE. 2535 (1992), requiring the scrap dealer to strictly follow hygiene standards and relevant legal provisions.
The district office also worked with the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) to inspect the premise under laws governing the trading of second-hand goods. The shop was found to have incomplete records in its purchase ledger and was fined 2,000 baht.
The BMA spokesman reminded scrap dealers that, in addition to rules set by DOPA, City Hall has imposed extra regulations—especially concerning clearly identifiable state property, such as cables and manhole covers. These rules must be strictly followed.
If a dealer suspects that an item may belong to the government, they must notify the relevant agency. If cable theft is witnessed, it should be reported immediately via hotline 191.
“This operation reflects the BMA’s integrated efforts with the Metropolitan Police Bureau and DOPA under the ‘Shock the Cable Thieves’ campaign. We are taking serious action to combat the theft of electrical cables, which has led to streetlight outages across Bangkok,” Aekvarunyoo said.
Members of the public can report suspected cable theft or illegal scrap shops via the Traffy Fondue platform, by calling 191, or contacting their local police station.
